Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Theater Review: Measure for Measure -- Shakespeare in the Park


Lorenzo Pisoni and Danai Gurira. Photo by Joan Marcus
Uneven Staging Makes it Hard to Measure This One's Focus
By Lauren Yarger
It’s one of the bard’s “problem plays” because it’s hard to classify it as a comedy or a tragedy, but this one seems to present even more difficulties than another problem play -- All’s Well That Ends Well -- running in repertory this summer at the Public Theater’s free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Are we supposed to like Vincentio, Duke of Vienna (Lorenzo Pisoni)? He’s the hero, but sort of a dunce and not exactly a good ruler. Are we supposed to sympathize with Claudio (Andre Holland) who gets his girlfirend, Juliet (Kristen Connolly), pregnant? What about Claudio’s sister Isabella (Danai Gurira), a novice about to take her vows of chastity, who might have to give up her virginity to the ruthless deputy ruler Angelo (Michael Hayden) to save her brother from being beheaded for violating the morals laws Angelo invokes? Or maybe we’re supposed to relate to Mariana (Annie Parisse), rejected by her fiance Angelo on a trumped up morals charge?

Unfortunately, we’re not inclined to care about any of them and director David Esbjornson’s uneven staging doesn’t help solve the problematic nature of the play and doesn’t find focus. Actors seem to be walking around on stage with no purpose just so they have something to do. Some blocking has actors with their backs to the audience for lengthy periods and John Gromada’s original music sounds too modern at times, contrasting with Elizabeth Hope Clancy’s Elizabethan costumes (and kudos to all the actors wearing them in the heat and humidity that permeated the theater the night I attended). Scott Pask’s set for All’s Well That Ends Well does double duty, though, with just a few expertly implemented changes that morph it from elegant to monastery-like.

Despite the uneven feel to the play, there are some highlights here. Gurira is superb as the godly nun, conflicted over where her real duty lies. Some of the minor characters stand out as well: Reg Rogers as Lucio (he also shines in All‘s Well), Dakin Matthews as the provost, Carson Elrod as clown Pompey and David Mann as Elbow, a sort of constable. Giving some depth to his character is John Cullum as Escalus, a lord forced to go along with Angelo’s rule of terror. Cullum subtely conveys the character’s disagreement or amusement with the proceedings going on around him. Tonya Pinkins is underused in the role of Misstress Overdone.

Measure for Measure runs in repertory with All's well That Ends Well  at the Delacorte through July 30. Tickets are free and are available on the day of the performance (lines form early and most shows are sold out, so plan ahead). The Public also offers a daily online lottery for tickets. On the day of a show, users can log on to http://www.shakespeareinthepark.org/ anytime between midnight and 1 pm to register for that evening’s performance.

Virtual Ticketing recipients are chosen at random to receive tickets, not in the order requests are received. Additonal ticketing information is available as well. Visit For ticket information and performance schedule, visit
http://www.shakespeareinthepark.org/ or call 212-539-8750.

All performances are at 8 pm. The Delacorte Theater in Central Park is accessible by entering at 81 Street and Central Park West or at 79th Street and Fifth Avenue (turn left opposite the Metropolitan Museum of Art).


Christians might also like to know:
Sexual references
Scaty costumes
Demons depicted






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Our reviews are professional reviews written without a religious bias. At the end of them, you can find a listing of language, content or theological issues that Christians might want to know about when deciding which shows to see.

** Mature indicates that the show has posted an advisory because of content. Usually this means I would recommend no one under the age of 16 attend.

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

My Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists. Her play concept, "From Reel to Real: The Jennifer O'Neill Story" was presented as part of the League of professional Theatre Women's Julia's reading Room Series in New York. Shifting from reviewing to producing, Yarger owns Gracewell Productions, which produced the Table Reading Series at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT. She trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Intensive and other training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run. She was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She wrote reviews of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater (the only ones you can find in the US with an added Christian perspective) at http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/.

She is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com), an award-winning website featuring theater and arts news for the state. She was a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com. She previously served as theater reviewer for the Manchester Journal-Inquirer, Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp.com and as Connecticut and New York reviewer for American Theater Web.

She is a Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter of the League of Professional Theatre Women. She is a former vice president and voting member of The Drama Desk.

She is a freelance writer and playwright (member Dramatists Guild of America). She is a member if the The Outer Critics Circle (producer of the annual awards ceremony) and a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women, serving as Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter. Yarger was a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger also worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and served for nine years as the Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. She lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

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All material is copyright 2008- 2024 by Lauren Yarger. Reviews and articles may not be reprinted without permission. Contact reflectionsinthelight@gmail.com

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Key to Content Notes:

God's name taken in vain -- means God or Jesus is used in dialogue without speaking directly to or about them.

Language -- means some curse words are used. "Minor" usually means the words are not too strong or that it only occurs once or twice throughout the show.

Strong Language -- means some of the more heavy duty curse words are used.

Nudity -- means a man or woman's backside, a man's lower front or a woman's front are revealed.

Scantily clad -- means actors' private areas are technically covered, but I can see a lot of them.

Sexual Language -- means the dialogue contains sexually explicit language but there's no action.

Sexual Activity -- means a man and woman are performing sexual acts.

Adultery -- Means a married man or woman is involved sexually with someone besides their spouse. If this is depicted with sexual acts on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Sex Outside of Marriage -- means a man and woman are involved sexually without being married. If this is depicted sexually on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Homosexuality -- means this is in the show, but not physically depicted.

Homosexual activity -- means two persons of the same sex are embracing/kissing. If they do more than that, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Cross Dresser -- Means someone is dressing as the opposite sex. If they do more than that on stage the listing would include the corresponding "sexual activity" and/or "homosexual activity" as well.

Cross Gender -- A man is playing a female part or a woman is playing a man's part.

Suggestive Dancing -- means dancing contains sexually suggestive moves.

Derogatory (category added Fall 2012) Language or circumstances where women or people of a certain race are referred to or treated in a negative and demeaning manner.

Other content matters such as torture, suicide, or rape will be noted, with details revealed only as necessary in the review itself.

The term "throughout" added to any of the above means it happens many times throughout the show.

Reviewing Policy

I receive free seats to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows made available to all voting members of the Outer Critics Circle. Journalistically, I provide an unbiased review and am under no obligation to make positive statements. Sometimes shows do not make tickets available to reviewers. If these are shows my readers want to know about I will purchase a ticket. If a personal friend is involved in a production, I'll let you know, but it won't influence a review. If I feel there is a conflict, I won't review their portion of the production.

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